Process of aging dyed fabrics.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

P. F. VOGEL. PROCESS OF AGING DYED FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1902.

Warren STATES PATENT orricn PAUL F. VOGEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WALTER WV. CALMORE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed May 28, 1902. Serial No. 109,382.

To all whom it may concern/.2

Be it known that I, PAUL F. VOGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Aging or Fixing Colors in Dyed Fabrics, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in a process of dyeing and fixing colors in fabrics, and applies more particularly to piece-dyeing in which the completed fabricssuch, for instance, as hosieryare subjected to the action of an anilin color, preferably anilinblack, then subjected to the action of air to change or oxidize the coloring-pigment to the desired shade of color, so that it will not only remain fixed in tone, but will be prevented from doing further injury than is necessary to the delicate fiber of the fabric to which it has become a part.

In order to make clear the method of carrying out my process, reference will be had to the accompanying page of drawings, illustrating in diagram the several stages, together with the devices employed in carrying out my process.

Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a tom-tom or vat for containing the liquid dye having stamps arranged to force the dye liquor into the fabrics to be dyed. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of a centrifugal machine for removing the surplus dye liquor. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of an oxidizing-chamber which is heated by steampipes and provided with a rotatable cylinder in which the fabrics are to be placed to be oxidized, and Fig. 4 shows an end elevation of a similar form of cylinder in which the fabrics are treated for a considerable time to thoroughly dry out and age the fabrics which have been dyed and oxidized.

In carrying out my process the goods to be treated are immersed'in a vat or tom-tom A, which is filled with the dyeing liquid B, the goods being saturated by the action of stamps D, operated in the usual manner while the vat is turned to. assure a uniform deposit of the dye. This, as will be understood, is the ordinary method of dyeing anilin colors and in employing my process may, if desired, be replaced by any other of the wellknown methods of treating fabrics to be d ed.

After the goods have received the proper treatment in the dyeing-vat'they are removed and the surplus liquor extracted by means of a centrifugal machine C. They are then placed in the cylinder E, where they remain until the desired shade of color is developed. The cylinder E is inclosed in a chamber F, which is heated by means of steam-pipes G, the air admitted to the cham,

ber passing through openings H and having an exit through a hood or chimney I. V

The cylinder E is open to the air from all sides and is covered with reticulated plates or metal wire-gauze to permit of a free circulation of the heated air. The cylinder E is provided with a central shaft j, having a pulley K, which is slowly driven by means of a pulley L and belt L.

The temperature of the chamber F should preferably be retained between 100 and 120 Fahrenheit and slowly increased for a short time as the goods are being rotated, after which the temperature should be allowed to fall to normal, when the goods are removed. After the goods have been thus treated and the required shade of color developed they are removed from the oxidizing-chamber and placed in a rotatable cylinder M, which is constructed in a manner somewhat similar to the cylinder E, except that the cylinder is composed of acircular series of compartments M, which are mounted upon a shaft 0, driven by a pulley P, which receives motion through a pulley Q and driving-belt It.

The green goods in the cylinder M are subjected to the action of atmospheric air, preferably dry and at or below normal, the best results being obtained by rotating the cylinder in a room where the temperature may be retained between 40 and Fahrenheit in order to slowly remove all moisture and set and fix the color which has been determined in the previously-mentioned operation of oxidizing.

The last-mentioned operation is what is commonly known in the art as drying out or aging and as commonly practicedis not only uncertain in its results, but frequently involves a loss of the product by what is known as rot or a destruction of the delicate fibers of the fabric being treated, due to' heating or a prolonged oxidation of the chemical elements constituting the dye acting upon and destroying or carbonizing a greater part of the fiber of the fabric. After the goods are thus treated they are subjected to a chroming or fixing bath of a well-known character in the art, where the desired color is brought out and permanently fixed.

I find in practice that with the above-mentioned process faithfully carried out the goods are not only free from any disintegration of the body of the fiber or rot, but are measurably stronger and more brilliant in color than fabrics treated without the aid of the above treatment, spoken of as drying out or aging.

It might be Well to mention here that while the oxidizing operation requires but a few hours to obtain the desired result the aging process must be carried on for a longer period of time, from one to four days being required to develop the proper results in fine grades of goods.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described process of aging and finally in aging the fabrics by continu- 3 5 ously moving the same through an atmosphere at or below normal temperature.

2. The herein-described process of aging and fixing colors in dyed fabrics which consists in subjecting the fabrics to the action of an oxidizable dye, removing the fabrics, and subjecting the same to the action resulting from their continuous movement in a slowly increasing and decreasing temperature which is allowed to fall to normal when the goods are removed, and finally aging the fabrics in a temperature below normal.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

PAUL F. VOGEL.

-Witnesses CURT VOGEL, ALBERT LEOHRDING. 

